The Republican journal., 1887-07-28
The Law and the Liquor Traffic.

The Law and the Liquor Traffic.
To THE EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL: The
Legislature of 1887 added more strength to the
prohibtory law than any dozen before it. 1t
is the first prOhtbitOry law We ever had in this
State. The most effective of all the amend
ments. and the one that carried the greatest
terror into the ranks of the enemy, is that
making payment of the liquor dealers special
tax l'rtmd .tacie evidence that the person pay
ing it is a common seller and his place COM
mon nuisance.
J They were in sore distress. They were be-
tween two stones, either Of which would grind
them fine. Their only hope was that the Unit
ed States officials would refuse to testify, and all
remember that this was the case. The first
cases under the new law were in Augusta.
The Deputy Collector was summoned to give a
list of those who had paid special tax. This
he refused to do and was committed for con-
tempt. The collector was summoned for a like
purpose and likewise refused The rumseIlers
were in high spirits at the result, but their joy
was short lived, for as the original record
could not be had, list was admitted in evil
dence, which was made by citizen who went
to Ellsworth for that purpose. Then again
CONSERVATION seized them, for if 4 private
citizen could see the records and use them in
evidence, then the refusal of the U. 5. officials
was of 10 account. and they seemed driven to
the dire necessity of going out of the business.
just at this crisis in their affairs, entirely I'M
tod ,-% nf
interest of reform and economy. the President
put Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont in
one collection district and the records were re-
moved TO Portsmouth, \. H., ,chere they are
out Of THIS suite dnd beyond tie jurisdiction
IF its coHrts. OF course this was Il mere COIN
cilence, but it operated just as well for the
rumseers protection As though it had been
done dcssnedly. The Revised Statutes of the
United States read as follows:
See. 3240. Each collector of internal revenue
| >lall, under regulations of the Commissioner
| OF Internal Revenue, place and keep conspicl-
o!lsly in his office for public Inspection an al
| pliabctcal list of the names of all persons who
shall have paid special taxes within his dis
trict, and shall state thereon the time, place
ana business for which such special taxes have
been paid.
Friday, July Is, J. W. Mitchell, State Con-
stable, went to Portsmouth for the purpose of
seeing this list and using it in evidence. Mr.
Page, Collector, upon learning his errand ut
terly refused to exhibit such Il list He de-
clarcd that he should 'protect his custOn,ers:,'
that no one had seen or should see it 4; that the
records were out of the jurisdiction of this
State and it would take more than one State
| oil, a..
should 20 TO Jail than they if he exhibited the
| list. rs ii was - mean business to collect a
tax from man one day and the next give it in
evidence against him. When his attention was
called TO the statute quoted above, he refused
to allow Mr.. Mitchell TO see Il copy of the Re
Nsc'i Statutes of the United States declaring
that 'it'c or no lo,r" lie would never show
those records until he was compelled to. and
that he would be backed up in his position and
would fight before he would exhibit the rec
ord>. MIR. Frink, L. :. District Attorney,
rri>py declared that Mr.. Page must he a fool
II he did show the list and would give no fur
| ther attention to the case. This in view of the
law is rather cool. Although the collector re-
| fused to show the records, the list was bro
cured in spite Of him. and it shows that
two Of our druggists ard several others have
pad the tax and are liable TO prosecution
Such tat footed defiance of the law for the
Iihdi>@lli>cd purpose of shielding Il notorious
class of criminals can hardly be paraele,l.
There is no pretencc that the purpose is ANY,
thing else. and the object of the removal of the
records becomes very evident. Very interesting
Developments will doubtless come out of this
ease as ii will be vigorously pushed. If the
hited states proposes to throw its protection
around the liquor traffic; if the liquor power
has become so strong and gained such thorough
control of our government that the laws are
deiled in its interest, and that openly and
avowedly, the moment has come for the people
I" demand that the national platforms of all
parties declare on this question, and that this
crime of crimes, this curse of curses be ban
i>hcd from our land